Things You Weirdly Miss Moving Off Campus

Current sophomores and juniors are probably starting to look around at houses in the Logan neighborhood, anxious to get out of the dorms and on campus living. Titillated with the idea of no RA, no inter-gender visitation hours, and no annoying hall mates, moving off campus seems like the best possible thing to happen. But there’s some “don’t know what you have ‘til it’s gone” aspects of on campus living that you soon find out you miss.

(Some) noise

Never thought I would miss hearing “Tounge Tied” by Grouplove bumping through my very thin CM wall to lull me to sleep, but I kinda do. It’s nice having some of the noise that occurs in the dorms and on campus. It’s enough to keep you from going completely insane during finals week, where it’s always good to realize there’s a world that exists outside of your upcoming tests. Having people stop by your room to chat or get food is actually reassuring. And hearing people yell about how great they are at 2 in the morning will always be funny.

Meal plans

I’m a terrible cook. Never knew that until I had to cook for myself. I just figured I would be able to whip out the amazing meals my parents make at home, or at least make something that resembles BARC dinners. I can’t. Quesadillas and pasta gets really old really fast, and I think I’m slowly dying on the inside because I haven’t touched a vegetable willingly in months. Another unfortunate part of not eating on campus is seeing Peachy Kay every day. She’s a delight.

Distance

The days of waking up, rolling out of bed, and getting to class in five minutes are over, which is especially not fun because it’s colder than the coldest thing you could think of right now. If you go to class all greasy and in sweats, it’s not for very long from Desmet to College Hall. But if you’re walking for a few blocks in a real life neighborhood, it looks like a walk of shame.

Cleaning

We absolutely take having things cleaned for us for granted. You’ll usually figure it out about week 2 of living on your own. Yes, there’ll be less people around, but your bathroom will still get dirty. And it’s incredibly less fun to clean yourself. Having a cleaning crew may wake you rudely before 12 on weekends, but it’s worth it to have an at least somewhat clean living environment.

Obviously it’s not all bad living off campus. But seriously, underclassmen and everyone on campus, cherish this gift.